![]() | |
Formerly | South East Suburban Football League |
---|---|
Sport | Australian rules football |
Founded | 1963 |
No. of teams | 36 |
Level on pyramid | 4 |
Relegation to | Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 |
Official website | sfnl.com.au |
The Southern Football Netball League is an Australian rules football league, based in the south and south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, for both seniors and juniors.
The South East Suburban Football League was formed in 1963 as a merger of the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League with the East Suburban Football League after a number of its clubs moved to the Croydon Ferntree Gully FL (now Eastern Football League).
When the Federal Football League folded at the end of 1981, the SESFL had twenty clubs. After the addition of all but one of the Federal clubs for 1982, the league had a 16 team A grade, and a 12 team B grade competition. The league twice tried 3 divisions but the idea was later dropped as clubs left or folded.
In a major project in 1991, the league underwent a major revamp of its administration and opted to employ a full-time administrator and staff to manage the league's affairs. The League's administration along with its member clubs undertook a far-reaching corporate planning programme to map out future directions and objectives. The extra manpower allowed the elevation of League and club standards and the improved marketability of attracting the corporate sponsorship that modern football now required to keep the organisation afloat. Much of this work was completed by early 1992 and it was decided that a new name would be required to flow on from the work already achieved. The Southern Football League was adopted to show that a new professionalism was running football in the southern suburbs.
The league had another major change in 1993, when it absorbed the Eastern Suburbs Churches Football Association. The newly merged league began in 1993 with around 50 clubs playing 5 divisions, though this had dropped to 28 clubs in 3 divisions by 2002 due to clubs folding, merging, or moving to other competitions. [1]
In April 1997, the Southern Football Show began on Optus Vision's Localvision channel, covering the weekly news of the league. [2] [3] It moved to Channel 31 Melbourne the following year. This program soon became known as the Southern Footy Show. It later expanded its scope to become the Local Footy Show, covering many Melbourne leagues until 2011.
In the new millennium, the league grew slightly with the addition of the Southern Dragons in 2009, Endeavour Hills in 2011 and Hallam in 2012. The Dragons returned to the VAFA after the 2012 season, [4] but the revival of Carrum Patterson Lakes FC in 2013 after almost 20 years in recess kept the league at 31 clubs. [5]
The 2014 SFL third division seniors grand final was called off after a brawl broke out between players and supporters. The game in which Mount Waverley was taking on Carrum Patterson Lakes. A police spokeswoman said supporters started heckling one of the teams as it left the ground at half-time. A fight broke out and one person was treated in hospital. The game was called off when one of the teams refused to return to the field." [6]
In 2015, acknowledging the netball part of the competition, the league changed its name to Southern Football Netball League. [7] The 2015 season was also a time when the Southern Dragons went into recess.
In 2016 Port Melbourne Colts transferred in from Western Region Football League, and Lyndhurst FC fielded a senior side for the first time. [8]
2017 saw the introduction of women's football.
The inclusion of 3 clubs enabled the league to have 4 men's divisions for 2018.
Year | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Division 5 | Women's Div 1 | Women's Div 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | Noble Park | Cheltenham | |||||
1993 | East Brighton | Cheltenham | Murrumbeena | South Yarra | Moorabbin West | ||
1994 | Noble Park | Caulfield | St Kilda City | Syndal-Tally Ho | Carrum Downs | ||
1995 | Parkdale | Cheltenham | Chelsea Heights | Doveton Eagles | Lyndale | ||
1996 | Noble Park | Ashwood | Highett | Cheltenham Assumption | |||
1997 | Noble Park | Balwyn | Box Hill Pioneers | Lyndale | |||
1998 | Balwyn | St Kilda City | Heatherton | Mt Waverley Catholics | |||
1999 | Balwyn | Mordialloc | North Kew | ||||
2000 | Balwyn | Chelsea Heights | Lyndale | ||||
2001 | Clayton | Ashwood | Tooronga Malvern | ||||
2002 | St Kilda City | East Brighton | Hampton | ||||
2003 | Balwyn | Murrumbeena | Canterbury | ||||
2004 | East Brighton | Highett | Black Rock | ||||
2005 | Balwyn | St Kilda City | Moorabbin | ||||
2006 | Clayton | Heatherton | Parkmore | ||||
2007 | St Kilda City | Springvale District | Black Rock | ||||
2008 | St Pauls | Dingley | South Yarra | ||||
2009 | St Kilda City | Heatherton | Skye | ||||
2010 | St Kilda City | Clayton | Hampton | ||||
2011 | St Pauls | Highett | Southern Dragons | ||||
2012 | East Brighton | East Malvern | Moorabbin | ||||
2013 | St Pauls | Bentleigh | Doveton Eagles | ||||
2014 | East Brighton | Mordialloc | Match abandoned | ||||
2015 | Dingley | Oakleigh Districts | Black Rock | ||||
2016 | Dingley | Port Melbourne Colts | Mount Waverley | ||||
2017 | Dingley | Chelsea Heights | Doveton Eagles | Murrumbeena | |||
2018 | St Paul's | Highett | Springvale Districts | Cerberus | Murrumbeena | Clayton | |
2019 | Dingley | Doveton Eagles | Hampton Park | South Yarra | Endeavour Hills | Lyndale | |
2020 | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | |
2021 | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | Competition suspended | |
2022 | Cranbourne | Chelsea Heights | Black Rock | Lyndhurst | Endeavour Hills | Black Rock |
Year | A1 Grade | A2 Grade |
---|---|---|
1963 | Murrumbeena | |
1964 | Mount Waverley | |
1965 | Glen Iris | |
1966 | East Brighton | Kooyong |
1967 | Kooyong | Sandown |
1968 | Burwood | St Bedes Old Collegians |
1969 | Canterbury | East Malvern |
1970 | Burwood | Hawthorn District |
1971 | Hawthorn District | St Kilda City |
1972 | Canterbury | Sandown |
1973 | East Brighton | Ashburton |
1974 | Murrumbeena | Carnegie |
1975 | Carnegie | Port Colts |
1976 | East Brighton | South Melb Dist |
1977 | Ashburton | Beaumaris |
1978 | Ashburton | Tooronga-Malvern |
1979 | Burwood | Glen Iris |
1980 | Ashburton | St Kilda City |
1981 | Ashburton | East Hawthorn |
1982 | Clayton | East Hawthorn |
1983 | Noble Park | South Melb Dist |
1984 | Clayton | Parkdale |
1985 | Noble Park | Tooronga-Malvern |
1986 | Noble Park | Highett West |
1987 | Noble Park | Ashburton |
1988 | Caulfield-Ashburton | East Brighton |
1989 | Balwyn | Parkdale |
1990 | Noble Park | Tooronga-Malvern |
1991 | East Brighton | Canterbury |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Location Ground | Website | Years in Comp | SFL Premierships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Bentleigh | Demons | Bentleigh Reserve, Bentleigh | Official Site | 1993- | Div 2: 2013 |
![]() | Chelsea Heights | Demons | Beazley Reserve, Chelsea Heights | Official Site | 1993- | Div 2: 2000, 2017, 2022 Div 3: 1995 |
![]() | Cheltenham | Rosellas | Cheltenham Reserve, Cheltenham | Official Site | 1982- | Div 2: 1992, 1993, 1995 |
![]() | Cranbourne | Eagles | Livingston Reserve, Cranbourne East | 2022- | Div 1: 2022 | |
![]() | Dingley | Dingoes | Souter Oval, Dingley | Official Site | 2007- | Div 1: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 Div 2: 2008 |
![]() | Mordialloc | Bloodhounds | Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc | 1988– | Div 2: 1999, 2014 | |
![]() | Port Melbourne | Colts | JL Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne | 1975-80, 2016- | A2 1975 Div 2: 2016 | |
![]() | Springvale Districts | Demons | Springvale Reserve, Springvale | Official Site | 1993- | Div 2: 2007 Div 3: 2018 |
![]() | St Kilda City | Saints | Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda | Official Site | 1965- | A2: 1971, 1980 Div 1: 2002, 2007, 2009, 2010 Div 2: 1998, 2005 Div 3: 1994 |
![]() | St Pauls | Bulldogs | McKinnon Reserve, Bentleigh | Official Site | 1993- | Div 1: 2008, 2011, 2013, 2018 |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Ground Location | Club Website | Years in Comp | SFL Premierships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Black Rock | Jets | McDonald Reserve, Black Rock | Official Site | 1986- | Div 3: 2004, 2007, 2015, 2022 |
![]() | Caulfield Bears | Bears | Koornang Park, Carnegie | Official Site | 1993- | Div 2: 1994 |
![]() | Doveton | Doves | Robinson Oval, Doveton | Official Site | 2022- | - |
![]() | East Brighton | Vampires | Hurlingham Park, Brighton East | Official Site | 1963- | A1: 1966, 1973, 1976, 1991 A2: 1988 Div 1: 1993, 2004, 2012, 2014 Div 2: 2002 |
![]() | East Malvern (Known as Tooronga/Malvern until 2012) | Panthers | D. W. Lucas Oval, Malvern East | Official Site | 1964- | A2: 1978, 1985, 1990 Div 2: 2012 Div 3: 2001 |
![]() | Hampton Park | Redbacks | Robert Booth Reserve, Hampton Park | 2018- | Div 3: 2019 | |
![]() | Highett (known as Highett Districts until 1997) | Bulldogs | Turner Road Reserve, Highett | Official Site | 1989- | Div 2: 2004, 2011, 2018 Div 3: 1996 |
![]() | Keysborough | Burras | Rowley Allan Reserve, Keysborough | Official Site | 2015- | - |
![]() | Murrumbeena | Lions | Murrumbeena Park, Murrumbeena | Official Site | 1963- | A1: 1963, 1974 Div 2: 2003 Div 3: 1993 |
![]() | Skye | Bombers | Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve, Carrum Downs | 2006- | Div 3: 2009 |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Ground Location | Club website | Years in Comp | SFL Premierships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Ashwood | Magpies | Essex Heights Reserve, Ashwood | Official Site | 1985- | Div 2: 1996, 2001 |
![]() | Carrum Patterson Lakes | Lions [9] | Roy Dore Reserve, Carrum | Official Site | 2013- Reformed, Carrum FC folded after the 1996 season in the MPNFL | - |
![]() | Clayton | Clays | Meade Reserve, Clayton | 1982-1985, 1999 - | A1: 1982, 1984 Div 1: 2001, 2006 Div 2: 2010 | |
![]() | Endeavour Hills | Falcons | Barry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills | 2011- | ||
![]() | Frankston Dolphins | Dolphins | Overport Park, Frankston South | Official Site | 2018- | - |
![]() | Heatherton | Tunners | Heatherton Recreation Reserve, Heatherton | Official Site | 1993- | Div 2: 2006, 2009 Div 3: 1998 |
![]() | Lyndhurst | Lightning | Marriott Waters Reserve, Lyndhurst | Official Site | 2016- | Div 4: 2022 |
![]() | Narre South Saints | Saints | Strathaird Reserve, Narre Warren South | Official Site | 2020- |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Ground Location | Club website | Years in Comp | SFL Premierships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Cerberus | Dogs | McAuliffe Oval, HMAS Cerberus | 2018- Reformed (Previously competed 2004-2010) | Div 4: 2018 | |
![]() | Dandenong | Redlegs [10] | Greaves Reserve, Dandenong | Official site | 1993- (known as Dandenong West until 2003, Dandenong Demons until 2009) (Not connected to former VFA club Dandenong) | - |
![]() | Doveton Eagles | Eagles | Power Reserve, Doveton | Official Site | 1995- | Div 2: 2019 Div 3: 2013, 2017 Div 4: 1995 |
![]() | Hampton | Hammers | Peterson Street Reserve, Peterson Street, Highett | Official Site | 2022- | - |
![]() | Lyndale | Pumas | Barry Powell Reserve, Noble Park North | Official Site | 1993- | Div 3: 2000 Div 4: 1997 Div 5: 1995 |
![]() | Moorabbin | Kangaroos | A.W Oliver Reserve, Hampton East | Official Site | 1993- | Div 3: 2005, 2012 Div 5: 1993 |
![]() | South Mornington | Tigers | Citation Oval. Helena Street Mt Martha | Official Site | 2006, 2020- | - |
![]() | South Yarra | Lions | Leigh Park, Balwyn North | 1993- | Div 3: 2008 Div 4: 1993, 2019 |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Ground Location | Club Website | Years in Comp | SFL Premierships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Heatherhill | Hills | Bruce Park, Frankston | 2023- | - | |
![]() | Sandown Cobras | Cobras | Edinburgh Reserve, Springvale | Official Site | 1963-1976, 2002- | 1967, 1972, 1987, 1997 |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Ground Location | Club Website | Years in Comp | SF Premierships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Bentleigh | Demons | Bentleigh Reserve, Bentleigh | Official Site | 2018- | |
![]() | Casey Thunder | Thunder | The Hunt Club Reserve, Cranbourne East | 2021- | ||
![]() | East Brighton | Vampires | Hurlingham Park, Brighton East | Official Site | 2018- | |
![]() | Endeavour Hills | Falcons | Singleton Reserve, Endeavour Hills | 2018- | Div 1: 2019, 2022 | |
![]() | Frankston Dolphins | Dolphins | Overpoint Park, Frankston South | Official Site | 2018- | |
![]() | Murrumbeena | Lions | Murrumbeena Park, Murrumbeena | Official Site | 2018- | Div 1: 2018, 2017 |
![]() | Narre South Saints | Saints | Strathaird Reserve, Narre Warren South | Official Site | 2022- |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Ground Location | Club Website | Years in Comp | SFL Premierships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Black Rock | Jets | McDonald Reserve, Black Rock | Official Site | 2022- | Div 2: 2022 |
![]() | Casey Thunder | Thunder | The Hunt Club Reserve, Cranbourne East | 2021- | ||
![]() | Clayton | Clays | Meade Reserve, Clayton | 2018- | Div 2: 2018 | |
![]() | Lyndale | Pumas | Barry Powell Reserve, Noble Park North | Official Site | 2018- | Div 2: 2019 |
![]() | Moorabbin/St Pauls | Bulldogs | A.W. Oliver Reserve, Hampton East McKinnon Reserve, Bentleigh | Moorabbin Official Site St Pauls Official Site | 2022- | |
![]() | Skye | Bombers | Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve, Carrum Downs | 2021- | ||
![]() | South Yarra | Lions | Leigh Park, Balwyn North | 2018- |
Club | Last season |
---|---|
Ashburton-Chadstone Football Club | 1994 |
Box Hill Adelphians Football Club | 1995 |
Brooklyn Football Club | 2004 |
Camberwell Power Football Club | 1996 |
Carnegie Football Club | 1999 |
Caulfield-Ashburton Football Club | 1989 |
Cheltenham Assumption Football Club | 1998 |
Collingwood Districts Football Club | 1995 |
East Hawthorn Football Club | 1987 |
East Malvern Amateurs | 1984 |
East Sandringham | 1975 |
Fairfield Football Club | 1995 |
Glen Iris Football Club | 1987 |
Heidelberg Colts Football Club | 1995 |
Mount Waverley Football Club | 2019 |
North Blackburn Football Club | 1995 |
Parkmore Football Club | 2007 |
Richmond Rosellas Football Club | 1995 |
Southern Dragons | 2015 |
Club | Club | Year | Resulting club |
---|---|---|---|
Burwood | Essex Heights | 1986 | Ashwood |
Burwood (United) | Mount Waverley (separate from Mount Waverley Football Club) | 1993 | Mount Waverley Burwood |
East Bentleigh | St Paul's Bentleigh | 1996 | St Pauls East Bentleigh |
East Camberwell | Surrey Hills | 1994 | Surrey Park (moved to EFL in 2001) |
Highett | Highett West | 1989 | Highett District |
Mentone | St Bedes Old Collegians (VAFA) | 1993 | St Bedes Mentone Tigers (VAFA) |
Parkdale | Mentone Amateurs (previously St Patrick's Mentone) (VAFA) | 2003 | Parkdale Vultures (VAFA) |
North Kew | Kew Amateurs (VAFA) | 2007 | Kew Bears (VAFA) |
Mount Waverley Burwood | Waverley Amateurs | 1998 | Waverley Blues (EFL) |
Club | Last season in SFL |
---|---|
Balwyn | 2006 |
Box Hill Pioneers | 1997 |
Canterbury | 2008 |
Noble Park | 1999 |
Oakleigh District | 2022 |
Surrey Park | 2001 |
Club | Last season in SFL |
---|---|
Beaumaris | 1994 |
Box Hill North | 2001 |
Canterbury | 2008 |
South Melbourne Districts | 1999 |
South Mornington | 2006 (returned to SFNL in 2019) |
Syndal-Tally Ho (now known as Chadstone) | 1996 |
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